White House aides scheduled a diplomatic call between US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk for Friday, signalling a potential de-escalation in their public feud, Politico reported.
This intervention follows Thursday’s bitter social media exchange, where Musk lambasted Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” as a “disgusting abomination,” while Trump retorted on Truth Social that Musk “should have [criticised] months ago.”
Advisers persuaded Trump to temper his rhetoric, resulting in a more restrained post emphasising the bill’s merits:
This is one of the Greatest Bills ever presented to Congress… MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Hedge fund manager Bill Ackman publicly mediated the conflict, posting: “I support Donald Trump and Elon Musk and they should make peace for the benefit of our great country.” Musk responded that he was “not wrong.”
The détente efforts coincide with significant financial repercussions: Tesla shares fell 14.2% during the spat, while Trump Media & Technology Group dropped 8.04%, according to Reuters.
Musk’s opposition centres on the bill’s projected $2.4 trillion deficit increase, while Trump seeks Senate passage for his signature tax and immigration policies. The White House views Musk’s cooperation as vital given X’s 600 million users, dwarfing Truth Social’s 6.3 million active users.
Friday’s call represents a strategic necessity for both parties. For Trump, securing Musk’s platform amplifies his legislative agenda; for Musk, averting presidential antagonism mitigates regulatory and market risks.
